The present invention relates to stimulating a defence response in plants, with a view to providing the plants with enhanced pathogen resistance. More specifically, it has resulted from cloning of the barley Mlo gene, various mutant mlo alleles, and a number of homologues from various species. The Mlo gene has been isolated using a positional cloning approach which has never previously been successful in Barley. Details and discussion are provided below. Wild-type Mlo exerts a negative regulatory function on a pathogen defence response, such that mutants exhibit a defence response in the absence of pathogen. In accordance with the present invention, down-regulation or out-competition of Mlo function may be used to stimulate a defence response in transgenic plants, conferring increased pathogen resistance.
Mutations have been described in several plants in which defence responses to pathogens appear to be constitutively expressed. Mutation-induced recessive alleles (mlo) of the barley Mlo locus exhibit a leaf lesion phenotype and confer an apparently durable, broad spectrum resistance to the powdery mildew pathogen, Erysiphe graminis f sp hordei.
Resistance responses to the powdery mildew pathogen have been genetically well characterized (Wiberg, 1974; Sxc3x8gaard and Jxc3x8rgensen, 1988; Jxc3x8rgensen, 1994). In most analyzed cases resistance is specified by race-specific resistance genes following the rules of Flor""s gene-for-gene hypothesis (Flor, 1971). In this type of plant/pathogen interaction, resistance is specified by and dependent on the presence of two complementary genes, one from the host and one from the fungal pathogen. The complementary genes have been termed operationally (pathogen) resistance (xe2x80x9cRAxe2x80x9d) gene and avirulence gene, respectively. Most of the powdery mildew resistance genes (Mlx) act as dominant or semidominant traits (Jxc3x8gensen, 1994).
Monogenic resistance mediated by recessive (mlo) alleles of the Mlo locus is different. Apart From being recessive, it differs from race-specifc resistance to single pathogen strains in that (i) it confers broad spectrum resistance to almost all known isolates of the pathogen (ii) nlo resistance alleles have been obtained by mutagen treatment of any tested susceptible wild type (Mlo) variety, and (iii) mao resistance alleles exhibit a defence mimic phenotype in the absence of the pathogen (Wolter et al., 1993). Thus, the genetic data indicate the Mlo wild type allele exerts a negative rmedatory function on defence responses to pathogen attack.
Resistance mediated by alo alleles is currently widely used in barley breeding and an estimated 10 million hectares are annually planted in Europe with seeds of this genotype. A xe2x80x98mloxe2x80x99 like, inherited resistance to powdery mildew in other cereal plants has not been reported so far although the fungus is a relevant pathogen in wheat (attacked by rzysiphe graminiu f sp triticl), oat (attacked by E. g. f sp avenae), and rye (attacked by .E g. f sp secalis). Because cereals are morphologically, genetically and biochemically highly related to each other (Moore et al., 1995), one would predict the existence of homologous genes in these species. The failure to have found a xe2x80x98mloxe2x80x99 like, inherited resistance in wheat and oat is probably due to their hexaploid genomes, making it difficult to obtain by mutagenesis defective alleles in all six gene copies, and the chance of all such mutations occurring in Nature is remote. The failure to have found a mlo equivalent in other cereals is probably due to insignificant amount of mutational analysis in these species and complications as a result of their outbreeding nature (e.g. rye).
RFLP markers closely linked to Mlo on barley chromosome 4 were previously identified on the basis of a mlo backcross line collection containing mlo alleles from six genetic backgrounds (Hinze et al., 1991). The map position of Mlo on the basis of RFLP markers was consistent with its chromosomal localization as determined by a previous mapping with morphological markers (Jxc3x8rgensen, 1977).
Having identified an xcx9c3 cM genetic interval containing Mlo bordered by genetic markers, we decided to attempt to isolate the gene via positional cloning.
However, there is no documented example of a successful positional cloning attempt of a barley gene. We were faced with a number of difficulties.
Firstly, the genome of barley (5.3xc3x97109 bp/haploid genome equivalent; Bennett and Smith, 1991) has almost double the size of the human genome and because the total genetic map covers xcx9c1.800 cM (Becker et al., 1995) we were confronted with a very unfavourable ratio of genetic and physical distances (1 cM corresponds to xcx9c3 Mb).
Seconcly, a high resolution genetic map had to be constructed around Mlo enabling the positioning of linked markers with a precision of better than 0.1 cM.
Thirdly. we aimed to physically delimit the target gene and both flanking DNA markers on individual large insert genomic clones, a procedure later termed xe2x80x9cchromosome landingxe2x80x9d. (Tanksley er al., 1995). For this pupose, a complete barley YAC library from barley Megabase DNA had to be constructed with an average insert size of 500-600 kb, which was unprecedented.
Fourthly, we had to prepare unusual genetic tools that enabled us to identify the Mlo gene within a physcally delimited region without tne need for a time consuming. generation of barley transgenLc plants and testing of different candidate genes. We used for our studies ten characterized radiation- or chemically-induced mlo mutants (Jxc3x8rgensen, 1992). For a conclusive chain of evidence of the gene isolation we decided to depend upon a functional restosation of the wild type Mlo allele starting out from characterized mlo defective alleles. For this purpose, we performed mlo heteroallelic crosses and isolated susceptible intragenic Mlo recominants. The sequence analysis of these proves the function of the described gene.
The cloning of the barley Mlo gene and bomlogues, including homologues from other plant species, gives rise to a number of practical applications, reflected in the varsous aspects of the present invention.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a peptide with Mlo function. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that xe2x80x9cMlo functionxe2x80x9d refers to the ability to suppress a defence response, said defence response being race and/or pathogen independent and autonomous of the presence of a pathogen, such as, for example, the Mlo gene of barley, the Acd gene and the Lsd gene of Arabidopsis.
mlo mutations that down-regulate or disrupt functional expression of the wild-type Mlo sequence are recessive, such that they are complemented by expression of a wild-type sequence. Thus xe2x80x9cMlo functionxe2x80x9d can be determined by assessing the level of constitutive defence response and/or susceptibility of the plant to a pathogen such as, for example, powdery mildew or rust (e.g. yellow rust). Accordingly, a putative nucleotide sequence with Mlo function can be tested upon complementation of a. suitable mlo mutant. The term xe2x80x9cmlo functionxe2x80x9d is used to refer to sequences which confer a mlo mutant phenotype on a plant.
The capitalisation of xe2x80x9cMloxe2x80x9d and non-capitalisation of xe2x80x9cmloxe2x80x9d is thus used to differentiate between xe2x80x9cwild-typexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cmutantxe2x80x9d function.
A mlo mutant phenotype is characterised by the exhibition of an increased resistance against one or more pathogens, which is race and/or pathogen independent and autonomous of the presence of a pathogen.
The test plant may be monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous. Sutable monocots include any of barley, rice, wheat, maize or oat, particularly barley. Suitable dicots include Arabidopsis.
Nucleic acid according to the invention may encode a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 2, or an allele, variant, derivarive or mutant, or homologue, thereof.
Nucleic acid according to the present invention may have the sequence of a Mlo geae of barley, or be a mutant, variant (or derivative) or allele cf the sequence provided, or a homologue thereof. Preferred mutants, variants and alleles are those which encode a sequence which retains a functional characteristic of the wild-type cene, especially the ability to suppress a defence response as discussed herein. Other preferred mutants, variants and alleles encode a sequence which, in a homozygote, cause constitutive activation of a defence response, or at least promotes activation of a defence response (i.e. is a mlo mutant sequence). e.g. by reducing or wholly or partly abolishing Mlo function. Preferred mutations giving mlo mutant sequences are shown in Table 1. Changes to a sequence, to produce a mutant, derivative or variant, may be by one or more of addition, insertion, deletion or substitution of one or more nucleotides in the nucleic acid, leading to the addition, insertion, deletion and/or substitution of one or more amino acids. of course, changes to the nucleic acid which make no difference to the encoded amino acid sequence are included. Particular variants, mutants. alleles and derivatives are discussed further below, as well as homologues.
A preferred nucleic acid sequence according co an aspect of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2 along with the predicted amino acid sequence. Nucleic acid may be subject to alteration by way of substitution of nucleotides and/or a combination of addition, insertion and/or substitution of one or more nucleotides with or without altering the encoded amino acids sequence (by virtue of the degeneracy of the genetic code).
As discussed below, further aspects of the present invention provide homologues of the Mlo sequence shown in FIG. 2, including from rice (genomic sequence FIG. 5, bottom line, cDNA sequence FIG. 10, amino acid sequence FIG. 13) and barley (genomic sequence FIG. 6, bottom line, cDNA sequence FIG. 11, amino acid sequence FIG. 14); also Table 5B (nucleotii sequences) and FIG. 5A (amino acid sequences) show homologous EST""s from rice and Arabidopsis.
The present invention also provides a vector which comprises nucleic acid with any one of the provided sequences, preferably a vector from which a product can be expressed. The vector is preferably suitable for transformation into a plant cell and/or a microbial cell. The invention further encompasses a host cell transformed with such a vector, especially a plant cell ora microbial cell (e.g. Agrobacterium tumefaciens). Thus, a host cell, such as a plant cell, comprising nucleic acid according to the present invention is provided. Within the cell, the nucleic acid may be incorporated within the nuclear genome. i.e. a chromosome. There may be more than one heterologous nucleotide sequence per haploid genome.
A vector comprising nucleic aced according to the present inventon need not include a promoter, particularly if the vector is to be used to introduce the nucleic acid nto cells for recombination into the gente.
Nucleic acid molecules and vectors according to the present invention may be provided in a form isolated and/or purified from their natural environment, in substantially pure or homogeneous form, or free or substantially free of nucleic acid or genes of the species of interest or origin other than the relevant sequence. Nucleic acid according to the present rw invention may comprise cDNA, RNA, genomic DNA and may be wholly or partially synthetic. The term xe2x80x9cislatexe2x80x9d may encc ass all these possibilities.
The prevent invention also encompasses the expression product of ay of the nucleic acid sequences disclosed and methods of making the expression product by expression frow encoding nucleic acid therefore under suitable conditions in suitable host cells, e.g. E. coli. Those skilled in the art are well able to construct vectors and design protocols for expression and recovery of products of recombinant gene expression. Suitable vectors can be chosen or constructed, containing one or more appropriate regulatory sequences, including promoter sequences. terminator fragments, polyadenylation sequences, enhancer sequences, marker genes and other sequences as appropriate. For further details see, for example, Molecular Cloning: a Laboratory Manual: 2nd edition, Sambrook et al, 1989, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Transformation procedures depend on the host used, but are well known. Many known techniques and protocols for manipulation of nucleic acid, for example in preparation of nucleic acid constructs, mutagenesis, sequencing, introduction of DNA into cells and gene expression, and analysis of proteins, are described in detail in Short Protocols in Molecular Biology, Second Edition, Ausubel et al. eds., John Wiley and Sons, 1992. The disclosures of Sambrook et al. and Ausubel et al. are incorporated herein by reference, along with all other documents mentioned.
Purified Mlo protein, or a fragment, mutant or variant thereof, e.g. produced recombinantly by expression from encoding nucleic acid therefor, may be used to raise antibodies employing techniques which are standard in the art. Antibodies and polypeptides comprising antigen-binding fragments of antibodies may be used in identifying homologues from other species as discussed furtherbelow.
Methods of producing antibodies include immunising a mammal (eg human, mouse, rat, rabbit, horse, goat, sheep or monkey) with the protein or a fragment thereof. Antibodies may be obtained from immunised animals using any of a variety of techniques known in the art, and might be screened, preferably using binding of antibody to antigen of interest. For instance, Western blotting techniques or immunoprecipitation may be used (Armitage et al, 1992, Nature 357: 80-82). Antibodies may be polyclonal or monoclonal.
As an alternative or supplement to immuising a mammal, antibodies with appropriate binding specificity may be obtained from a recombinantly produced library of expressed immunoglobulin variable domains, eg using lambda bacteriophage or filamentous bacteriophage which display functional immunoglobulin binding domains on their surfaces; for instance see WO92/01047.
Antibodies raised to a polypeptide or peptide can be used in the identification and/cr isolation of homologous polypeptides, and then the encoding genes. Thus, the present invention provides a method of identifying or isolating a polypeptide with Mlo or mlo function (in accordance with embodments disclosed herein), comprsisng screening candidate peptides or polypeptides wit a polypeptide comprising the antigen-binding domain of an antibody (for example whole antibody or a fraigment thereof) which is able to bind an Mlo or mlo peptide, polypeptide or fragment, variant or variant thereof or preferably has binding specificity for such a peptide or polypeptide, such as having an amino acid sequence identified herein. Specific binding members such as antibodies and polypeptides comprising antigen binding domains of antibodies that bind and are preferably specific for a Mlo or mlo peptide or polypeptide or mutant, variant or derivative thereof represent further aspects of the present invention, as do their use and methods which employ them.
Candidate peptidee or polypeptides for screening may for instance be the products of an expression library created using nucleic acid derived from an plant of interest, or may be the product of a purification process from a natural source.
A peptide or polypeptide fount to bind the antibody may be isolated and then may be subject to amino acid sequencing. Any suitable technique may be used to sequence the peptide or polypeptide either wholly or partially (for instance a fragment of a polypeptide may be sequenced). Amino acid sequence information may be used in obtaining nucleic acid encodingthe peptide or polypeptide, for instance by designing one or more oligonucleotides (e.g. a degenerate pool of oligonucleotides) for use as probes or primers in hybridisation to candidate nucleic acid, or by searching computer sequence databases, as discussed further below.
A further aspect of the present invention provides a method of identifying and cloning Mlo homologuez from plants, including species other than Barley, which method employs a nucleotide sequence derived from that shown in FIG. 2. Further similar aspects employ a nucleotide sequence derived from any of the other Figures provided herein. Nucleic acid libraries may be screened using techniques well known to those skilled in the art and homologous sequences thereby identified then tested. The provision of sequence information for the Mlo gene of Barley and various homologues enables the obtention of homologous sequences from Barley and other plant species, as exemplified further herein.
Also, one can easily derive PCR primers based on putative within the sequence shown in FIG. 2, a single amino acid change with respect to the sequence shown in FIG. 2, or 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 changes, about 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 or 50 changes, or greater than about 50, 60, 70, 80 or 90 changes. In addition to one or more changes within the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 2, a mutant, allele, variant or derivative amino acid sequence may include additional amino acids at the C-terminus and/or N-terminus.
As is well-understood, homology at the amino acid level is id generally in terms of amino acid similarity or idenitity. Similarity allows for xe2x80x9cconservative variationxe2x80x9d, i.e. substitution of one hydrophobic residue such as isoleucine, valine, leucine or methionine for another, or the substitution of one polar residue for another, such as arginine for lysine, glutamic for aspartic acid, or glutamine for asparagine. Similarity may be as defined and determined by the TBLASTN program, of Altschul et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215: 403-10, which is in standard use in the art, or, and this may be preferred, the standard program BestFit, which is part of the Wisconsin Package, Version 8, September 1994, (Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Drive, Madison, Wis., USA, Wis. 53711). BestFit makes an optimal alignment of the best segment of similarity between two sequences. Optimal alignments are found by inserting gaps to maximize the number of matches using the local homology algorithm of Smith and Waterman
Homology may be over the full-length of the relevant exon sequences, which might be identified by comparison with the Mlo sequence provided in FIG. 2 wherein exons are highlighted, and perform RT-PCR with total FRN from the plant of interest, e.g. barley and rice for the homologues shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, with cDNA and amino acid sequences shown in other figures herein.
The homologues whose nucleotide sequences are given and whose amino acid sequences are given or are deducible represent and provide further aspects of the present invention in accordance with those disclosed for the parley gene shown in FIG. 2.
The present invention also extends to nucleic acid encoding a Mlo homologte obtained using a nucleotide sequence derived from that shown in FIG. 2. or the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 2. Preferably, the nucleotide seqrence and/or amino acid sequence shares homology with the sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 2, preferably at least about 50%, or at least about 55%, or at least abou 60%, or at least about 65%. or at least about 70%, or at least about 75%, or at least about 80% homology, or at least about 85% homology, or at least about 90% homology. most preferably at least about 95% homology. xe2x80x9cHomologyxe2x80x9d in relation to an amino acid sequence may be used to refer to identity or similarity, preferably identity. Righ levels of amlno acid identity may be limited to functionally significant domains or regions.
A mutant, allele, variant or derivative amino acid sequence in accordance with the present invention may include seouence shown herein, cr may more preferably be over a contiguous secuence of about or greater than about 20, 25, 30, 33, 40, 50, 67, 133, 167, 200, 233, 267, 300, 333, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600 or more amino acids or codons, compared with the relevant amino aced secuence or nucleotide sequence as the case may be.
The EST sequences provided herein, have on average 70% similarity and 50% identity with the Mlo amino acid sequence of FIG. 2. We show that the rice homologue (FIG. 5) and barley homologue (FIG. 6) have an amino acid identity of 81% (amino aced secuences shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14).
In certain embodiments, an allele, variant, derivative, mutant or homologue of the spec, ic seeqence may show little overall homology, say about 20%, or about 25%, or about 30%, or about 35%, or about 40% or about 45%, with the specific sequence. However, in functioally significant domains or regions the amino acid homology may be much higher. Putative functionally signilicant domains or regions can be identified using processes of bioimformatica, including comparison of the sequences of homologues. Functionally significant domains or regions of different polypeptides may be combined for expression from encoding nucleic acid as a fusion protein For example, particularly advantageous or desirable properties of different homologues may be combined in a hybrid protein, such that the resultant expression product. with Mlo or mlo function, may comprise fragments of various parent proteins.
The nucleotide sequence information provided herein, or any part thereof, may be used in a data-base search to find homologous sequences, expression products of which can be tested for Mlo or mlo function. These may have ability to complement a mlo mutant phenotype in a plant or may, upon expression in a plant, confer a mlo phenotype.
In public sequence databases we recently identified several homologues for the sequence of FIG. 2. We have already found homologues in rice and barley, and the dicot. Arabidopals.
By sequencing homologues, studying their expression patterns and examining the effect of altering their expression, genes carrying out a similar function to Mlo in Barley are obtainable. Of course, mutants, variants and alleles of these sequences are included within the scope of the present invention in the same terms as discussed above for the Barley gene.
Homology between the hbmologues as disclosed herein, may be exploited in the identification of further homologues, for example using oligonucleotides (e.g. a degenerate pool) designed on the basis of sequence conservation.
According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of identifying or a method of cloning a Mlo homologue, e.g. from a species other than Barley, the method employing a nucleotide sequence derived from that shown in FIG. 2 or that shown in any of the other Figures herein. For instance, such a method may employ an oligonucleotide or oligonucleotides which comprises or comprise a sequence or sequences that are conserved between tne sequences of FIGS. 2 and/or 3 and/or 6 and/or 10 and/or 11 and/or 12. or encoding an amino acid sequence conserved between FIGS. 2 and/or 7 and/or 13 and/or 14 and/or 15 to search for hzmologues. Thus, a method of obtaining nucleic acid is provided. comprising hybridisation of an oligonucleotide or a nucleic acid molecule comprising such an oligonucleotide to target/candidate nucleic acid. Tarcet or candidate nucleic acid may. for example. comprise a genomic or cDoA library obtainable from an organism known to contain or suspected of containing such nucleic acid, either monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous. Successful hybridisation may be identified and target/candidate nucleic acid isolated for further investigation and/or use.
Hybridisation may involve probing nucleic acid and identifying positive hybridisation under suitably stringent conditions (in accordance with known tecbnicues) and/or use of oligonucleotides as primers in a method of nucleic acid amplificacion, such as PCR. For probing, preferred conditions are those which are stringent enough for there to be a simple pattern with a small number of hybridisations identified as positive which can be investigated further. It is well kown in the art to increase stringency of hybridisation gradually until only a few positive clones remain.
As an alternative to probing, though still employing nucleic acid hybridisation. oligonucleotides designed to amplify DNA sequences may be used in PM reactions or other methods involving amplification of nucleic acid, using routine procedures. See for instance xe2x80x9cPCR protocols; A Guide to Methods and Applicationsxe2x80x9d, Eds. Innis et al, 1990, Academic Press, New York.
Preferred amino acid sequences suitable for use in the design of probes or PCR primers for some purposes are sequences conserved (completely, substantially or partly) between at least two Mlo peptidesor polypeptides encoded by genes able to suppress a defence response in a plant, e.g. with any of the amino acid sequences of any of the various figures herein and/or encoded by the nucleotide sequences of any of the various figures herein.
On the basis of amino acid sequence information oligonucleotide probes or primers may be desigred, taking into account the degeneracy of the genetic code, and, where appropriate, codon usage of the organism from the candidate nucleic acid is derived.
Preferably an oligonucleotide in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention, e.g. for use in nucleic acid amplification, is up to about 50 nucleotides, or about 40 nucleotides or about 30 or fewer nucleotides in length (e.g. 18, 21 or 24).
Assessment of whether or not such a PCR product corresponds to Mlo homologue genes may be conducted in various ways. A PCR band from such a reaction might contain a complex mix of products. Individual products may be cloned and each one individually screened. It may be analysed by transformation to assess function on introduction into a plant of interest.
As noted, nucleic acid according to the present invention is obtainable using oligonucleotides, designed on the basjs of sequence information provided herein. as probes or primers. Nucleic acid isolated and/or puriied from one or more cells of barley or another plant (see above), or a nucleic acid library derived from nucleic acid isolated and/or purified from the plant (e.g a cDNA library derived from mRNA isolated from the plant), may be probed under conditions for selective hybridisation and/or subjeced to a specific nucleic acid amplification reaction such as the poivmerase chain reactction (PCR). The nucleic acid probed or used as template in the amplification reaction may be genoic DNA, cDN or RNA. If necessary. one or more gene fragments may be ligated to generat a full-length coding sec eznce.
We have tested several PCR primers derived fron the Mlo sequence disclosed herein to test their specificity for amolifying nucleic acid according to the present invention, using both barley genomic DNA and RT-PCR templates. The latter was synthesized from barley polyaA+ RNA. In each case we were able to amplify the expected Mlo derived gene fragments as shown by cloning and subsequent DNA sequencing of the PCR products. Full length cDNA clones can be obtained as described by 5xe2x80x2 and 3xe2x80x2 RACE technology if RT-PCR products are used as templates.
Examples of primers tested include:
Various primer combinations have been tested: 38/39A; 38/39; 38/33; 38/37; 38A/39A; 38B/39A; 38/25L; 38/25LN; 25R/25L; 25R/25LN; 25R/53.
Various aspects of the present invention include the obtainable nucleic acid, methods of screening material, e.g. cell lysate, nucleic acid preparations, for the presence of nucleic acid of interest, methods of obtaining the nucleic acid, and the primers and primer combinations given above.
The sequence information provided herein also allows the design of diagnostic tests for determination of the presence of a specific mlo resistance allele, or a susceptibility allele (e.g. wild-type), in any given plant, cultivar, variety, population, landrace, part of a family or other selection in a breeding programme or other such genotype. A diagnostic test may be based on determination of the presence or absence of a particular allele by means of nucleic acid or polypeptide determination.
At the nucleic acid level, this may involve hybrzdisation of a suitable oligo- or poly-nucleotide, such as a fragment of the Mlo gene or a homologue thereof. including any homologue disclosed herein, or ary particular allele, such as an allele which gives an mlo phenotype. such as any such allele disclosed herein. The hybridisation may involve PCR designed to amplify a product from a given allelic version of mlo, with subsequent detection of an amplified product by any of a number of rd possible methods including but not limited to gel electrophoresis, capillary electrophoresis, direct hybrid saticn of nucleotide sequence probes and so on. A diagnostic test may be based on PCR designed to amplify various alleles or any allele from the Mlo locus, with a test to distingish the different posuible alleles by any of a number of possible methods, including MM fragment size, restriction site variation; (e.g. CAPSxe2x80x94cleaved amplified polymorphic sites) and so on. A diagnostic test may also be based on a great number of possible variants of nucleic acid analysis that will be apparent to those skilled in the art, such as use of a synthetic mloderived sequence as a hybridisation probe
Broadly, the methods divide into those screening for the presence of nucleic acid sequences and those that rely on detecting the presence or absence of a polypeptide. The methods may make use of biological samples from one or more plants or cells that are suspected to contain the nucleic acid sequences or polypeptide.
Exemplary approaches for detecting nucleic acid or polypeptides include analysing a sample from the plant or plant cell by:
(a) comparing the sequence of nucleic acid in the sample with all or part of the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 7 to determine whether the sample from the patient contains a mutation;
(b) determining the presence in the sample of a polypeptide including the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 2 or a fragment thereof and, if present, determining whether the polypeptide is full length, and/or is mutated, and/or is expressed at the normal level;
(c) performing DNA fingerprinting to compare the restriction pattern produced when a restriction enzyme cuts. nucleic acid in the sample with the restriction pattern obtained from the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 7 or from a known mutant, allele or variant thereof;
(d) contacting the sample with a specific binding member capable of binding to nucleic acid including the nucleotide sequence as set out in FIG. 7 or a fragment thereof, or a mutant, allele or variant thereof, the specific binding member including nucleic acid h ybridisable with the sequence of FIG. 7 or a polypeptide including a binding domain with specificity for nucleic acid including the sequence of FIG. 7 or the polypeptide encoded by it, or a mutated form thereof, and determining binding of the specific binding member;
(e) performing PCR involving one or more primers based on the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 7 to screen the sample for nucleic acid including the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 7 or a mutant, allele or variant thereof.
When screening for a resistance allele nucleic acid, the nucleic acid in the sample will initially be amplified, e.g. using PCR, to increase the amount of the analyte as compared to other sequences present in the sample. This allows the target sequences to be detected with a high degree of sensitivity if they aze present in the sample. This initial step may be avoided by using highly sensitive array techniques that are becoming increasingly important in the art.
A variant form of the gene may contain one or more insertions, deletions substitutions and/or additions of one or more nucleotides compared with the wild-type sequence (such as shown in Table 1) which may or may not distrupt the gene function. Differences at the nucleic acid level are not necessarily reflected by a difference in the amino acid sequence of the encoded polypeptide. However, a mutation or other difference in a gene may result in a frame-shift or stop codon, which could seriously affect the nature of the polypeptide produced (if any), or a point mutation or gross mutational change to the encoded polypeptide. including insertion, deletion, substitution and/or addition of one or more amino acids or regions in the polypeptide. A mutation in a promoter sequence or other regulatory region may prevent or reduce expression from the gene or affect the processing or stability of the mRNA transcript.
Tests may be carried out on preparations containing genomic DNA, cDNA and/or mRNA. Testing cDNA or mRNA has the advantage of the complexity of the nucleic acid being reduced by the absence of intron sequences, but the possible disadvantage of extra time and effort being required in making the preparations. RNA is more difficult to manipulate than DNA because of the wide-spread occurrence of RNxe2x80x2 ases.
Nucleic acid in a test sample may be sequenced and the sequence compared with the sequence shown in FIG. 2, or other figure herein, to determine whether or not a difference is present. If so, the difference can be compared with known susceptibility alleles (e.g. as summarised in Table 1) to determine whether the test nucleic-acid contains one or more of the variations indicated, or this difference can be investigated for association with disease resistance.
The amplified nucleic acid may then be sequenced as above, and/or tested in any other way to determine the presence or absence of a particular feature. Nucleic acid fortesting may be prepared from nucleic acid removed from cells or in a library using a variety of other techniques such as restriction enzyme digest and electrophoresis.
Nucleic acid may be screened using a variant- or allele-specific probe. Such a probe corresponds in sequence to a region of the gene, or its complement, containing a sequence alteration known to be associated with disease resistance. Under suitably stringent conditions, specific hybridisation of such a probe to test nucleic acid is indicative of the presence of the sequence alteration in the test nucleic acid. For efficient screening purposes, more than one probe may be used on the same test sample.
Allele- or variant-specific oligonucleotides may similarly be used in PCR to specifically amplify particular sequences if present in a test sample. Assessment of whether a PCR band contains a gene variant may be carried out in a number of ways familiar to those skilled in the art. The PCR product may for instance be treated in a way that enables one to dsplay the mutation or polymorphism on dematuring polyacrylamide DNA sequencing gel, with specific bands that are linked to the gene variants being selected.
An alternative or supolement to looking for the presence of variant sequences in a test sample is to look for tne presence of the normal sequeace, e.g. using a suitably specific oligonucleotide probe or primer.
Approaches which rely on hybridisation between a probe and test nucleic acid and subsequent detection of a mismatch may be employed. Under appropriate conditions (temperature pH etc.), an oligonucleotide probe will hybridise with a aecuence which is not entirely complementary. The degree of base-pairing between the two molecules will be sufficient for them to anneal despite a mis-match. Various approaches are well known in the art for detecting the presence of a mis-match between two arnealing nucleic acid molecules.
For instance. RNxe2x80x2 ase A cleaves at the site of a mis-match. Cleavage can be detected by electrophoresing test nucleic acid to which the relevant probe or probe has annealed and looking for smaller molecules (i.e. molecules with higher electrophoretic mobility) than the full length probe/test hybrid. Other approaches rely on the use of enzymes such as resolvases or endonucleases.
Thus, an oligonucleotide probe that has the sequence of a region of the normal gene (either sense or anti-sense strand). in which mutations associated with disease resistance are known to occur (e.g. see Table 1) may be annealed to test nucleic acid and the presence or absence of a mis-match determined. Detection of the presence of a mis-match may indicate the presence in the test nucleic acid of a mutation associated with disease resistance. On the other hand, an oligonucleotide probe that has the sequence of a region of the gene including a mutation associated with disease resistance may be annealed to test nucleic acid and the presence or absence of a mis-match determined. The presence of a mis-match may indicate that the nucleic acid in the test sample has the normal sequence, or a different mutant or allele sequence. In either case, a battery of probes to different regions of the gene may be employed.
The presence of differences in sequence of nucleic acid molecules may be detected by means of restriction enzyme digestion, such as in a method of DNA fingerprinting where the restriction pattern produced when one or more restriction enzymes are used to cut a sample of nucleic acid is compared with the pattern obtained when a sample containing the normal gene or a variant or allele is digested with the same enyme or enzymes.
The presence of absence of a lesion in a promoter or other regulatory sequence may also be assessed by deter ing the level of mRNA production by transcription or the level of polypeptide production by translation from the mRNA.
Nucleic actd isolated and/or purif ed from one or rore cells of a plant or a nucleic acid library derived from nucleic acid isolated and/or purified from cells (e.g. a cDNA library derived from mRNA isolated from the cells), may be probed under conditions for selected hybridisation and/or subjected to a spcecfic nucleic acid amplification reaction such as the polymerase chain reacticn (PCR).
A method may include hybridisation of one or more (e.g. two) probes or primers to target nucleic acid. Where the nucleic acid is double-stranded DNA, hybridization will generally be preceded by denaturation to produce single-stranded DNA. the hybridisation may be as part of a PCR procedure, or as part of a probing procedure not involving PCR. An example proceduse would be a combination of PCR and low stringency hybridisation. A screening procedLte, chosen foat the many available to those skilled is the art, is used to identify successful hybridisuation events and isolate hybridised nucleic acid.
Binding of a probe to target nuclgic acid (e.g. DNA) may be measured using any of a variety of techniques at the disposal of those skilled in the art. For instance, probes may be radioactively, fluorescently or enzymatically labelled. Other methods not employing labelling of probe include examination of restriction fragment length polymorphisms, amplification using PCR, RNAase cleavage and allele specific oligonucleotide probing.
Probing may employ the standard Southern blotting technique. For instance DNA may be extracted from cells and digested with different restriction enzymes. Restriction fragments may then be separated by electrophoresis on an agarose gel, before denaturation and transfer to a ru nitrocellulose filter. Labelled probe may be hybridised to the DNA fragments on the filter and binding determined. DNA for probing may be prepared from RNA preparations from cells.
Preliminary experiments may be performed by hybridising under low stringency conditions various probes to Southern blots of DNA digested with restriction enzymes. Suitable conditions would be achieved when a large number of hybridising fragments were obtained while the background hybridisation was low. Using these conditions nucleic acid libraries, e.g. cDNA libraries representative of expressed sequences, may be searched.
As noted, those skilled in the art are well able to employ suitable conditions of the desired stringency for selective. hybridisation, taking into account factors such as oligonucleotide length and base composition, temperature and so on.
In some preferred embodiments of diagnostic assays according to the present invention, oligonwtcleotides according to the present invention that are fragments of any of the sequences shown in FIG. 2, or ary allele associated with disease resistance, e.g. as identified in Table 1. are at least about 10 nucleotides in length, more preferably at least about 15 nuleotides in length, more preferably at least about 20 nucleotides in length, more preferably about 30 nucleotides rn length. Such fragments themselves individually represent aspects of the present invention. Fragments and other oligonucleotides may be used as primers or probes as discussed but may also be generated (e.g. by PCR) in methods concerned with determining the presence in a test sample of a sequence indicative of disease resistance.
There are various methods for detenincr the presence cr absence in a tess sample of a particular polypeptide, such as the polypeptide with the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 2. or other figure herein, or an amino acid sequence mutant, variant or allele thereof (e.g. including an alteration show in Table 1).
A sample may be tested for the presence of a binding partner for a specific binding member such as an antibody (or mixture of antibodies), specific for one or tore particular variants of the polypeptide shown in FIG. 2 e.g. see Table 1.
In such cases, the sample may be tested by being contacted with a specific binding membe such as an antibody under appropriate conditions for specific binding, before binding is determined, for instance using a reporter system as discussed. Where a panel of antibodies is used, different reporting labels may be employed for each antibody so that binding of each can be determined.
A specific binding member such as an antibody may be used to isolate and/or purify its binding partner polypeptide from a test sample, to allow for sequence and/or biochemical analysis of the polypeptide to determine whether it has the sequerce and/or properties of the wild-type polypeptide or a particular mutant, variant or allele thereof. Amino acid sequence is routine in the art using automated sequencing machines.
The use of diagnostic tests for mlo alleles allows the researcher or plant breeder to establish, with full confidence. and independent from time consuming resistance tests, whether or not a desired allele is present in the plant of interest (or a cell thereof), whether the plant is a representative of a collection of other genetically identical plants (e.g. an inbred variety or cultivar) or one individual in a sample of related. (e.g. breeder""s selection) or unrelated plants. The mlo alleles conferring the desirable disease resistance phenotype are recessive, and are not therefore detectable at the whole plant phenotype level when in a heterozygous condition in the presence of a wild-type Mlo allele. Phenotypic screening for the presence of such recessive alleles is therefore only possibze on material homozvgous for the mlo locus and so delays substantially the generation in a plant breeding programme at which selection can be reliably and cost-effectively applied. In a bakcross breeding proramme where, for example, a breeder is aiming to intergress a desirable mlo allele into an elite adapted high performing target genotype, the mlo locus will be permanently in the heterozygcus condition until selling is carried out. Nucleic acid or pollpeptide testing for the presence of the recessive allele avoids the need to test self ed progeny of backcross aene-atior. individuals, thus saving considerable time and money. In other types of breedins scheme based on selection and selfing of desirable individuals, nucleic acid or polypeplide diagostics for the desirable mlo alles in high throughput, low cost assays as provided by this invention, reliable selection for the desirable mlo alleles can be made at early generatcns and on more material than would otherwise be possible. This gain in reliabiilty of selection plus the time saving by being able to teat material earlier and wthcut costly resistance phenotype screening is of considerable value in plant breeding.
By way of example for nucleic acid testing, the barley mlo-5 resistance allele is characterized by a G- to A-nucleotide substitution in the predicted start codon of the Mlo gene (Table 1) The. mutation may easily be detected by standard PCR amplification of a Mlo gene segment from genomic template DNA with the primers:
forward primert 51xe2x80x2-GTTGCCACACTTTGCCACG-3xe2x80x2 (SEQ ID NO:68)
reverse primert 5xe2x80x2-AAGCCAAGACGACAATCAGA-31xe2x80x2 (SEQ ID NO:69) (for example), followed by digestion with the restriction enzyme PohA1. This generates a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) marker which may be displayed using conventional agarose gel electrophoresis. Presence of a 769 bp fragment is indicative of the presence of the mlo-5 allele.
The plos-9 resistance allele is characterized by a C- to T-nucleotide substitution (Table 1). Thin allele is of particular relevance since it is used frequently in breeding material. The mutational event may be easily detected using the primers:
forward primer 5xe2x80x2-GRROCCACACTTTGCCACG-3xe2x80x2 (SEQ ID NO:70)
reverse primer 5xe2x80x2-AAGCCAAGACGACAATCAGA-3xe2x80x2 (SEQ ID NOs71)
(for example) and subsegment digestion of genomic amplification products with the restriction enzyme Rha1. This generates a CAPS marker which may be displayed by conventional agaroqe gel electrophoresin. The presence ofa 374 bp fragment is indicative of the presence of mlo-9.
A third, particularly interesting allele is mlo-12, characterised by a substitution a residue 240, specifically. a Phe240 to leucine replacement. This may result from a C720. to A substitution in the encoding nucleotide sequence (Table 1). This is the only currently documented moc allele for which conclusive evidence is available that the altered protein retains residual wild-type activity (Hentrich, 1979, Arch. Zxc3xcchtungsvorsch., Berlin 9, S. 283-291). mlo-12 exhibits no detectable spontaneous cell death reaction but confers a sufficient level of resistance to pathogens such as the powdery midew fungus. mlo12 may therefore be the allele of choice in breeding programs if minimal pleiotropic effects (spontaneous cell death) are desirable after introgression of the mlo resistance in elite breeding lines. Furthermore, the molecular site of the amino acid substition within the Mlo protein allows the design of alleles with a residual wild-type activity, and also the obtention of ineraccrng and/or inhibitor molecules, reducer undesirable pleiotropic effects from a complete loss of function of the Mlo protein.
Nucleic aced-based determination of the presence or absence of mlo alleles may be comiined with determination of the gerotype of the flanking linked genomic DNA and other unlinked genomic DNA using established sets of markers such as RFLPs. microsatellites or SSRs. AFLPs etc. This enables the researcher or plant breeder to select for not only the presence of the desirable nlo alelei but also for individual plant or families of plans which have the most desirable combinations of linked and unlinked genetic background. Such recombinations of desirable material may occur only rarely within a given segregating breeding population or backcross progeny. Direct assay of the slo locus as afforded by the present invention allows the researcher to make a stepwise approach to fixing (making homosygous) the desired combination of flanking markers and mlo alleles, by first identifying individuals fixed for one flanking marker and then identifying progeny fixed on the other side of the mlo locus all the time knowing with confidence that the desirable mlo allele is still present.
The present disclosure provides sufficient information for a person skilled in the art to obtain genomic DNA sequence for. any given new or existing mlo allele and devise a suitable nucleic acid- and/or polypeptide-based diagnostic assay. Existing mlo alleles to which this may be applied include, for example, mlo-1, mlo-3, mlo-4, mlo-5, mlo-6, mlo-7, mlo-8, mlo-9, mlo-10, mlo-12, mlo-13, mlo-16, mlo-17, mlo-26 and mlo-28, for all of which sequence information is provided herein (see e.g. FIG. 2 and Table 1). In designing a nucleic acid assay account is taken of the distinctive variation in sequence that characterises the particular variant allele. Thus, the present invention extends to an oligonucleotide fragment of a mlo allele, having a sequence which allows it to hybridise specifically to that allele as compared with other mlo alleles. Such an oligonucleotide spans a nucleotide at which a mlo mutation occurs, and may include the mutated nucleotide at or towards its 3xe2x80x2 or 5xe2x80x2 end. Such an oligonucleotide may hybridise with the sense or anti-sense strand. The variation may be within the coding sequence of the mlo gene, or may lie within an intron sequence or in an upstream or downstream non-coding sequence, wherein disruption affects or is otherwise related to the lesion in Mlo that results in the mildew resistant phenotype.
The mlo-9 allele iswidely but not exclusively used in plant breeding (J Helms Jxc3x8rgensenxe2x80x94Euphytica (1992) 63: 141-152), mlo-11 is also used. Use oF mlo mutants in practical !breeding has largely been restricted to spring barley, because the spontaneous cell death resporse associated with many of the mutant alleles appears to represent a penalty to plant growth and performance when incorporated nto high yielding winter barley genotypes. However different alo alleles have different degrees of associated spootaneous ceil death response, and thus some, either existing or newly created from mutagenesis programmes or lated as spontaneous mutants, are more suitable than others for incorporation into winter barley backgrounds. The mlo-12 allele ry be particularly suitable since no detectable pleiotropic effects occur desplte conferring a sufficient level of pathogen resistance. The use of mlo based mildew resistance m-e widely in winter barleys will have significant value for barley growers as well as significant economic and environmental implications such as reduced use of fungicide inputs with their associated treatment costs. The provision of nucleic acid diagnostics as provided herein enables rapid and accurate deployment of new and existing mlo alleles into winter barley germplasm.
Plants which include a plant cell according to the invention are also provided, along with any part or propagule thereof, seed, selfed or hybrid progeny and descendants. A plant according to the present invention may be one which does not breed true in one or more properties. Plant varieties may be excluded, particularly registrable plant varieties according to Plant Breeders"" Rights. It is noted that a plant need not be considered a xe2x80x9cplant varietyxe2x80x9d simply because it contains stably within its genome a transgene, introduced into a cell of the plant or an ancestor thereof.
In addition to a plant, the present invention provides any clone of such a plant, seed, selfed or hybrid progeny and descendants, and any part of any of these, such as cuttings, seed. The invention provides any plant propagule, that is any part which may be used in reproduction or propagation, sexual or asexual, including cuttings, seed and so on. Also encompassed by the invention is a plant which is a sexually or asexually propagated off-spring, clone or descendant of such a plant, or any part or propagule of said plant, off-spring, clone or descendant.
A further aspect of the present invention provides a method of making a plant cell involving introduction of the sequence (e.g. as part of a suitable vector) into a plant cell and causing or allowing recombination between the vector and the plant cell genome to introduce the sequence of nucleotides into the genome.
Following transformation of a plant cell a plant may be regenerated.
The invention further provides a method of modulating Mlo expression in a plant, which may modulate a defence response in the plant, comprising expression of a heterologous Mlo gene sequence (or mutant, allele, variant or homologue thereof, as discussed) wizhin cells of the plant. As discussed further herein, modulation or alteration of the level of constitutive defence response in a plant may be by way of suppression, repression or reduction (in the manner of wild-type Mlo) or promotion, stimulation, activation, increase, enhancement or augmentation (in the manmer of mutant mlo). Activation or enhancement of the defence response may confer or increase pathogen resistance of the plant, especially resistance to powdery mildew and/or rust (such as yellow rust).
The term xe2x80x9cheterologousxe2x80x9d may be used to indicate that the gene/sequence of nucleotides in question have been introduced into said cells of the plant or an ancestor thereof, using genetic engineering, we by human intervention. A transgenic plant cell, i.e. trarsganic or the nucleic acid in question, may be provided. The transgene may be on an extra-genomic vector or incorporated, preferably stably, into the genome. A heterologous gene may replace an endogenous equivalent gene, ie one which normally perform the same or a similar functions or the inserted secuence may be additional to the endogenous gene or other sequence. An advantage of introduction of a heterologous gene is the ability to place expression of a sequence under the control of a promoter of choice, in order to be able to influence expression according to preference, such as under particular developmental. spatial or temporal control, or under control of an inducible promoter. Furthermore. mutants, variants and derivatives of the wild-type gene, e.g. with higher or lower activity than wild-type, may be used in place of the endogenous gene. Nucleic acid heterologous, or exogenous or foreign, to a plant cell may be non-naturally occuring in cells of that type, variety or species. Thus, nucleic acid may include a coding sequence of or derived from a particular type of plant cell or species or variety of plant, placed within the context of a plant cell of a different type or species or variety of plant. A further possibility is for a nucleic acid sequence to be placed within a cell in which it or a homologue is found naturally, but wherein the nucleic acid sequence is linked and/or adjacent to nucleic acid which does not occur naturally within the cell, or cells of. that type or species or variety of plant, such as operably linked to one or more regulatory sequences, such as a promoter sequence, for control of expression. A sequence within a plant or other host cell may be identifiably heterologous, exogenous or foreign.
Down-regulation of wild-type Mlo gene function lead to stimulation of a constitutive defence response. This may be achieved in a number of different ways, as illustrated below. The nucleic acid according to the invention may be placed under the control of an inducible gene promoter thus placing expression under the control of the user.
In a further aspect the present invention provides a gene construct comprising an inducible promoter operatively linked to a nucleotide sequence provided by the present invention. As discussed, this enables control of expression of the gene. The invention alsoprovides plants transformed with said gene construct and methods comprising introduction of such a construct into a plant cell and/or induction of expression of a construct within a plant cell, e.g. by application of a suitable stimulus, such as an effective exogenous inducer or endogenous signal.
The term xe2x80x9cinduciblexe2x80x9d as applied to a promoter is well understood by those skilled in the art. In essence, expression under the control of an inducible promoter is xe2x80x9cswitched onxe2x80x9d or increased in response co an applied stimulus (which may be generated within a cell or provided exogenously). The nature of he stimulus varies between pronoters. Some inducible promoters cause little or undetectable levels of expression (or no expression) in the absence of tne appropriate stimulus. other inducible promoters cause detectable constitutive expression in the absence of the stimulus. Whatever the level of expression is in the absence of the stimulus, expression from any inducible promoter is increased in the presence of the correct stimulus. The preferable situation is where the level of expression increases upon application of the relevant stimulus by an amount effective to alter a phenotypic characteristic. Thus an inducible (or xe2x80x9cwitchablexe2x80x9d) promoter may be used which causes a basic level of expression in the absence of the stimulus which level is too low to bring about a desired phenotype (and may in fact be zero). Upon application of the scimulus, expression is increased (or switched on) to a level which brings about the desired phenotype.
Suitable promoters include the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S (CaKV 35S) gene promoter that is expressed at a high level in virtually all plant tissues (Benfey et al, (1990a) EMBO J 9: 1677-1684); the cauliflower meri 5 promoter that is expressed in the vegetative apical meristem as well as several well localised positions in the plant body, eg inner phloem, flower S primordia, branching points in root and shoot (Medford, J. I. (1992) Plant Cell 4, 1029-1039; Medford et al, (1991) Plant Cell 3, 359-370) and the Arabidopsis thaliana LEAFY promoter that is expressed very early in flower development (Weigel et al, (1992) Cell 69, 843-859).
An aspect of the present invention is the use of nucleic acid according to the invention in the production of a transgenic plant.
When introducing a chosen gene construct into a cell, certain considerations must be taken into account, well known to those skilled in the art. The nucleic acid to be inserted should be assembled within a construct which contains effective regulatory elements which will drive transcription. There must. be available a method of transporting the construct into the cell. Once the construct is within the cell membrane, integration into the endogenous chromosomal material either will or will not occur. Finally, as far as plants are concerned the target cell type must be such that cells can be regenerated into whole plants.
Plants transformed with the DNA segment containing the sequence may be produced by standard techniques which are already known for the genetic manipulation of plants. DNA can be transformed into plant cells using any suitable technology, such as a disarmed Ti-plasmid vector carried by Agrobacterium exploiting its natural gene transfer ability (EP-A-270355, EP-A-0116718, NAR 12(22) 8711-87215 1984), particle or microprojectile bombardment (U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,792, EP-A-444882, EP-A-434616) microinjection (WO 92/09696, WO 94/00583, EP 331083, EP 175966, areen et al. (1987) Plant Tissue and Cell Culture, Academic Press), electroporation (EP 290395, WO 8706614) other forms of direct DNA uotaLe (DE 4005152, WO 9012096, U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,611), liposome mediated DNA uptake (e.g. Freeman et al. Plant Cell Physiol. 29: 1355 (1984)), or the vortexing method (e.g. Kindle. PMAS U.S.A. 87: 1228 (1950d) Physical methods for the traraformation of plait cells are reviewed in Oard, 1991, Biotech. Adv. 9: 1-11.
Agrobacterium transforration is widely used by those skilled in the art to transform dicotyledonous species. Recently, there has been substantal progress towards the routine production of stable, ferile transgenic plants in almost all economically relevant motocot plants (Toriyama, et al. (1988) Bio/Technology 6, 1072-1074; Zhang, et al. (1988) Plant Cell Rep. 7, 379-384; Zang. et al. (1988) Theor Appl Genet 76, 835-840; Shommoto, et al. (1989) Nature 338, 274-276; Datta, et al. (1990) Bio/Techuclogy 8, 736-740; Chriseou, et al. (1991) Bio/Techiology 9, 957-962; Peng, et al. (1991) International Rice Research institute, Manila, Philippines 563-574; Cao, et al. (1992) Plant Cell Rep. 11, 585-591; Li, et al. (1993) Plant Cell Rep. 12, 250-255; Rathore, et al. (1993) Plant Molecular Biology 21, 871-884; Fromm. et al. (1990) Bio/Technology 8, 833-839; Gordon-Kamm, et al. (1990) Plant Cell 2, 603-618; D""Halluin, et al. (1992) Plant Cell 4, 1495-1505; Walters, et al. (1992) Plant Molecular Biology 18, 189-200; Koziel, et al. (1993) Biotechnology 11, 194-200; Vasil, I. K. (1994) Plant Molecular Biology 25, 925-937; Weeks, et al. (1993) Plant Physiology 102, 1077-1084; Somers, et al. (1992) Bio/Technology 10, 1589-1594; WO92/14828). In particular, Agrobacterium mediated transformation is now emerging also as an highly efficient alternative transformation method in monocots (Hiei et al. (1994) The Plant Journal 6, 271-282)
The generation of fertile transgenic plants has been achieved in the cereals rice, maize, wheat, oat, and barley (reviewed in Shimamoto, K. (1994) Current Opinion in Biotechnology 5, 158-162.; Vasil, et al. (1992) Bio/Technology 10, 667-674; Vain et al., 1995, Biotechnology Advances 13 (4): 653-671; Vasil, 1996, Nature Biotechnology 14 page 702).
Microprojectile bombardment, electroporation and direct. DNA uptake are preferred where Agrobacterium is inefficient or ineffective. Alternatively, a combination of different techniques may be employed to enhance the efficiency of the transformation process, eg bombardment with Agrobacterium coated microparticles (EP-A-486234) or microprojectile bombardment to induce wounding followed by co-cultivation with Agrobacterium (EP-A-486233).
Following transformation, a plant may be regenerated, e.g. from single cells, callus tissue or leaf discs, as is standard in the art. Almost any plant can be entirely regenerated from calls, tissues and organs of the plant. Available techniques are reviewd in Vasil et al., Cell Culture and Somatic Cel Genetica of Plants, Vol I, II and III, Laborasozy Procedures and Their Applications, Academic Press, 1994, and Weissbach and Weissbach, Methods for Plant Molecular Biology, Academic Press, 1989.
The particular choice of a transformation technoogy will be determined by its efficiency to transform certain plant species as well as the experience and preference of the person paractising the inventiorn with a particular methodology of choice. It will be apparen to the skilled person that the particular choice of a tzansforration system to introduce nucleic acid into plant cells is not essential to or a limitaton of the invention, nor is the choice of technique for palnt regeneration.
In the present invetion expression may be achieved by introduction of the nucleotide sequence in a sense orientation. Thus, the present invention provides a method of modulation of a defence response in a plant, the method comprasing causing or allowing expression of nucleic acid according to the inition within cells of the plant. Generally. it will be desirable to stimulate the defence response, and this may be achieved by disrupting Mlo gene function.
Down-regulation of expreasion of a target gene may be achieved using anti-sense technology or xe2x80x9cmagnse regulatiornxe2x80x9d (xe2x80x9cco-suppressionxe2x80x9d).
In using anti-sense genes or partial gene sequences to down-regulate gene expression, a nucleotide sequence is placed under the control of a promoter in a xe2x80x9creverse orientationxe2x80x9d such that transcription yields RNA which is complementary to normal mRNA transcribed from the xe2x80x9csensexe2x80x9d strand of the target gene. See, for example, Rothstein et al, 1987; Smith et al, (1988) Nature 334, 724-726; Zhang et al, (1992) The Plant Cell 4, 1575-1588, English et al., (1996) The Plant Cell 8, 179-188. Antisense technology is also reviewed in Bourque, (1995), Plant Science 105, 125-149, and Flavell, (1994) PNAS USA 91, 3490-3496.
An alternative is to use a copy of all or part of the target gene inserted in sense, that is the same, orientation as the target gene, to achieve reduction in expression of the target gene by co-suppression. See, for example, van der Krol et al., (1990) The Plant Cell 2, 291-299; Napoli et al., (1990) The Plant Cell 2, 2:79-289; Zhang et al., (1992) The Plant Cell 4, 1575-1588, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,020.
The complete sequence corresponding to the coding sequence (in reverse orientation for anti-sense) need not be used. For example fragments of sufficient length may be used. It is a routine matter for the person skilled in the art to screen fragments of various sizes and from various parts of the coding sequence to optimise the level of anti-sense inhibition It may be advantageous to include the initiating methionine ATG codon, and perhaps one or more nucleotides upstream of the initiating codon. A further possibility is to target a conserved sequence of a gene, e.g. a sequence that is characteristic of one or more genes, such as a regulatory sequence. Antisenme constructs may involve 3xe2x80x2 end or 5xe2x80x2 end secquences of Mlo or homologues. In cases where several Mlo homologues exist in a plant species, the involvement of 5xe2x80x2- and 3xe2x80x2-end untranslated sequences in the construct will enhance specificity of silencing.
The sequence employed may be about 500 iucleotides or less, possibly about 400 nucleotides, about 300 nucleotides. about 200 nucleotides, or about 100 nucleotides. It may be possibie to use oligonucleotides of much ahorter lengths, 14-23 nucleotides, although longer fragments, and generally even lorger than about 500 nucleotides are preferable where possible, such as longer than about 600 mucleotides, than about 700 nucleotides, than about 800 nucleotides, than about 1000 nucleotides, than about 1200 nvcleotides, than about 1400 nuclectides, or more. it may be preferable that there is complete sequence identity in the sequence used for down-regulation of expression of a target sequence, and the target sequence, though total comdlementarity or similarity of sequence is not essential. One or more nucleotides may differ in the sequence used from the target gene. Thus, a sequence employed in a down-regulation of gene expression in accordance with the present invention may be a wild-type sequence (e.g. gene) selected from those available, or a mutant, derivative, variant or allele, by way of insertion, addition, deletion or substitution of one or more nucleotides, of such a sequence. The sequence need not include an open reading frame or specify an RNA that would be translatable. It may be preferred for there to be sufficient homology for the respective anti-sense and sense RNA molecules to hybridise. There may be down regulation of gene expression even where there is about 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% or more mismatch between the sequence used and the target gene.
Generally, the transcribed nucleic acid may represent a fragment of an Mlo gene, such as including a nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 2, or the complement thereof, or may be a mutant, derivative, variant or allele thereof, in similar terms as discussed above in relation to alterations being made to a coding sequence and the homology of the altered sequence. The homology may be sufficient for the transcribed anti-sense RNA to hybridise with nucleic acid within cells of the plant, though irrespective of whether hybridisation takes place the desirecd effect is down-regulation of gene expression.
Anti-sense regulation may itself be regulated by employing an inducible promoter in an appropriate construct.
Constructs may be expressed using the natural promoter, by a constitutively expressed promotor such as the CaMV 35S promotor, by a tissue-specific or cell-type specific promoter, or by a promoter that can be activated by an external signal or agent. The CAMV 35S promoter but also the rice actin and maize ubiquitin promoters have been shown to give high levels of reporter gene expression in rice (Fujimoto et al., (1993) Bio/Technology 11, 1151-1155; Zhang, et al., (1991) Plant Cell 3, 1155-1165; Cornejo et al., (1993) Plant Molecular Biology 23, 567-581).
For use in anti-sense regulation. nucleic acid including a nucleotide sequence complementary to a coding sequence of a Mlo gene (i.e. including hornologues), or a fragment of a said coding sequence suitable for use in anti-sene regulation of expression, is provided. This may be DNA and under control of an appropriate regulatory sequence for anti-sense transcription in cells of interest.
Thus, the present invention also provides a method of corferring pathogen resistance on a plant, the method including causing or allowing anti-sense transcription from heterologous nucleic acid according to the inverticn within cells of the plant.
The present invention further provides the use ofe nucleotide sequence of FIG. 2 or a fragment, mutant, dirivative, allele, variant or homologue thereof, such as any sequence shown or identified herein. for down-regulation of gene expression, particularly down-regulation of expression of an Mlo gene or homologue thereof, preferably in order to confer pathogen resistance on a plant.
When additional copies of the target gene, are inserted in sense, that is the same, orientation as the target gene, a range of phenotypes is produced which includes individuals where over-expression occurs and some where under-ewression of protein from the target gene occurs. When the inserted gene is omly part of the endogenous gene the number of under-expressing individuals in the transgenic population increases. The mechanism by which sense regulation occurs, particularly down-regulation, is not well-understood. However, this technique is well-reported in scientific and patent literature and is used routinely for gene control. See, for example, van der Krol et al., (1990) The Plant Cell 2, 291-229; Napoli et al., (1990) The Plant Cell 2, 279-289; Zhang et al, 1992 The Plant Cell 4, 1575-1588.
Again, fragments, mutants and so on may be used in similar terms as described above for use in anti-sense regulation.
Thus, the present invention also provides a method of conferring pathogen resistance on a plant, the method including causing or allowing expression from nucleic acid according to the invention within cells of the plant. This may be used to suppress Mlo activity. Here the activity of the product is preferably suppressed as a result of under-expression within the plant cells.
As noted, Mlo down-regulation may promote activation of a defence response, which may in turn confer or augment pathogen resistance of the plant, especially resistance to powdery mildew and/or rust (e.g. yellow rust).
Thus, the present invention also provides a method of modulating Mlo function in a plant, the method comprising causing or allowing expression from nucleic acid according to the invention within cells of the plant to suppress endogenous Mlo expression.
Modified versions of Mlo may be used to down-regulate endogenous Mlo function. For example mutants, variants, derivativee etc., may be employed. For instance, expwession of a mlo mutant sequence at a high level may out-compete actvity of endogenous Mlo.
Reduction of Mlo wild type activity may be achieved by using ribozymes, such as replication ribozymes, e.g. of the hammerhead class (Haseloff and Gerlach, 198, Nature 334: 585-591; Feyter et al. Mol., 1996, Gen. Genet. 250: 329-338).
Another way to reduce Mlo function in a plant employs trarsposon mutagenseis (reviewed by Osborne et al., (1995) Current Opinion in Cell Biology 7, 406-413). Inactivation of gaenes has been demorstrated via a xe2x80x98tageted taggngxe2x80x99 aporoach using either endogenous mobile elements or heterologous cloned trasposons which retain their mobility in alien genomes. Mlo alleles carrying any insertion of know sequence could be identified by using PCR primers with binding specificities both in the insertion sequence and the Mlo homologue. xe2x80x98Two-element systemsxe2x80x99 could be used to stabilize the transposon within inactivated alleles. In the two-element approach, a T-DNA is constructed bearing a non-autonomous transposon containing selectable or screenable marker gene inserted into an excision marker. Plants sing these T-DNAs are crossed to plants bearing a second T-DNA expressing transposaae function. Hybrids are double-selected for excision and for the marker within the transposon yielding F2 plants with tr sed elements. The two-elemant approach has a particular advantage with respect to Ac/Ds of maize, as the transposed Ds is likely to be unlinked to the transposase, facilitating outcrossing and stabilization of the Ds insertion (Jones et al., (1994) Science 266, 789-793; Osborne et al., (1995) Current opinion in Cell Biology 7, 406-413).
The mlo-based powdery mildew resistance is caused by the inactivation of the Mlo wild type allele, resulting in a recessive resistance phenotype. Substances that inhibit the activity of the Mlo wild type protein may be used to induce the resistance phenotype.
An important hint that complete inactivation of Mlo expression is not essential and may even be detrimental is provided by the description of mutagen-induced mlo resistance alleles that are likely to have retained residual wild type allele activity. These alleles exhibit no detectable spontaneous leaf necrosis which negatively affects photosynthesis rates and yield (Hentrich, W (1979) Arch. Zxc3xcchtungsvorsch., Berlin 9, S. 283-291).
The Mlo protein is predicted to be membrane-anchored by seven transmembrane helices (see e.g. FIG. 7). This structure prediction has been reinforced by recent analysis of Mlo homologues in rice and Arabidopsis thaliana. Structure prediction of the Arabidopsis thaliana homologue also suggests the presence of seven transmembrane helices. A comparison of the Mlo homologues revealed in addition conserved cysteine residues inthe putative extracellular loops 1 and 3 and high probabilities of amphipathic helices in the second intracellular loop adjacent to the predicted transmembrane helices 3 and 4. Thesecorserved structural motifs in the family of Mlo proteins are reminiscent of C protein coupled receptors (GPCR) described extensively in marmalian systems. GPCRs are known to be activated by ligands and to amplify sigrals intracellularly via heterotrimeric G proteins. Wwithout in any way providing a limitation on the nature or scope of any aspect of thepresent invention, it is predicted that Mlo activates an inhibicory G alpha subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins, thus leading to a downregulation of as yet unknown effector proteins.
The provision herein of Mlo seuence information enables the identification of antagonists of function of the Mlo protein (e.g. GPCR function) Antagonists of Mlo may block receptor activation by its unknown genuine ligand, mimicking recessive mutations in the Mlo gene. Such Mlo antagonist may be used as crop protection ccmpornds for example applied externally to the plant orcrop or here the compound is peptidyl in nature, delivered internally via a biological vector (e.g. recombinant infecting viral particle expressing the antagonistic molecule within target plant cells) or via a transgenic route (plants or plant cells genetical y modified to express the antagonist molecule, perhaps under control of a promoter inducible by an exterally applied compound (eg GST-II. promoter from maizexe2x80x94Jepson et al Plant Molecular Biology 26:1855-1866 (1994)) allowing control over the timing of expresion of the mlo inactivation phenotype.
Leaf segments of KLo wild type plants may be tested with a test substance, e.g. from a random or combinatorial compound library, for resistance upon challenge with pathogen such as powdery mildew. The detached leaf segment assay is used as a standard test system to score for susceptibility/resistance upon inoculation with powdery mildew spores. Leaf segments of 7-day-old seedlings of the genotype Mlo RorI may be placed on agar, for example individual wells of 96-well microtiter plates containing 50 xcexcl agar. Different compounds may be applied to the agar surface in each well at a concentration of about 1 ppm dissolved in DMSO. Around seven days after inoculation of the detached leaf segments with pathogen, such as spores of a virulent powdery mildew isolate, compounds which induce resistance may be recognised by the absence of fungal mycelium on leaf segments in the microtiter plates.
A further selection may be used to discriminate between compounds that act in the mlo pathway and those that confer resistance by other mechanisms, or those which exhibit a direct fungitoxic activity. For this purpose mutants in genes (Ror genes) which may be required for mlo resistance (Freialdenhoven et al., (1996), The Plant Cell 6, 5-14) may be used. Mutants of these genes confer susceptibility to powdery mildew attack despite the presence of mlo resistance alleles. Plants of the genotype Mlo rorl (wild type Mlo protein and defective Rorl gene) may be used, for example, to test compounds which induce resistance on Mlo Rorl genotypes but exhibit susceptibility on the Mlo rorl genotype, enabling selection of candidate Mlo antagonists. Testing candidate compounds identified using a leaf segment test may be jsed to drastcally redce the number of candidate compounds for further n vitro tests.
A further selection step of candidate antagonists may involve heterologous expreasion of the Mlo protein or a fragment thereof (e.g. in a baculovisus insect cell system) and subsequent binding assays with labelled molecules. Specific binding of compouds to cell lines expressing wild type Mlo protein is a good inoicator of their antagonistic mode of action. Analsis of the deduced Mlo protein sequence has provided strong evidence that the protein is anchored in the memrane via seven transmeebane helices and may represent a novel mebber of the so-called serpentine receptor family. The conclusion is supported by the sequence data derived from homologous genes ideatified in barley, rice and Arabidopsis. Seven transmembrane proteins have been shown to be expressed at high level in the Baulovirus/inaect cell system (up to 107 molecules per cellxe2x80x94Tate and Griushamer, 1996, TIBTECX 14: 426-430). Since the family of Mlo proteins appears to be restricted to the plant kingdom, this provides a low-background environment for compound tests. Candidate compounds which are labelled, radioactively or non-radioactively, may be tested for specific binding to Sf9 insect cells dresesig the Mlo protein after infecion with a recombinant baculovirus construct. Specificity of the binding may be tested further by Sf9 expression of mutant mlo proteins which carry characterised mutations (e.g. as in Table 1 leading in vivo to resistance.
Thus, in various further aspects the present invention. relates to assays for substances able to interfere with Mlo function, i.e. confer a mlo mutant phenotype, such substances themselves and uses thereof.
The use of Mlo in identifying and/or obtaininga substance which inhibits Mlo function is further provided by the present invention, as is the use of Mlo in identifying and/or obtaining a substance which induces pathogen resistance in a plant.
Agents useful in accordance with the present invention may be identified by screening techniques which involve determining whether an agent under test inhibits or disrupts Mlo function to induce an mlo phenotype. Candidate inhibitors are substances which bind Mlo.
It should of course be noted that references to xe2x80x9cMloxe2x80x9d in relation to assays and screens should be taken to refer to homologues, such as in other species, including rice and wheat, not just in barley, also appropriate fragments, variants, alleles and derivatives thereof. Assessment of whether a test substance is able to bind the Mlo protein does not necessarily require the use of full-length Mlo protein. A suitable fragment may be used (or a suitable analogue or variant thereof).
Suitable fragments of Mlo include those which include residues known to be crucial for Mlo function as identified by mlo mutant alleles (Table 1). Smaller fragments, and analogues and variants of this fragment may similarly be employed, e.g. as identified using techniques such as deletion analysis or alanine scanning. Furthermore, one class of agents that can be used to disrupt Mlo activity are peprides fragments of it. Such peptides tend to be short, and may be about 40 amino acids in length or less, preferably about 35 amino acids in length or less, more preferably about 30 amino acids in length, or less, more preferably about 25 amino acids or less, more preferably about 20 amino acids or less. more preferably about 15 amino acids or less, more preferably about 10 amino acids or less, or 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 or less in lengh. The present invention also encompasses peptides which are sequence variants or derivatives. of a wild type 14lo sequence, but which retain ability to interfere with Mlo function, e.g. to induce an mlo mutant is phenotype. Where one or more additional amino acids are included, such amino acids may be from Mlo or may be heterologolous or foreign to Mlo. A peptide may also be included within a larger fusion protein, particularly where the peptide is fused to a non-Mlo (i.e. heterologous or foreign) sequence, such as a polypeptide or protein domain.
Peptides may be generated wholly or partly by chemical synthesis. The compounds of the present invention can be readily prepared according to well-established, standard liquid or, preferably, solid-phase peptide synthesis methods, general descriptions of which are broadly available fsee, for example, in J.M. Stewart and J. D. Young, Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis, 2nd edition, Pierce Chemical Company, Rockford, Ill. (1984), in M. Bodanzsky and A. Bodanzsky, The Practice of ?eptide Synthesis, Springer Verlag, New York (1984); and Applied Biosystems 430A Users Manual, ABI Inc., Foster City, Calif.), or they may be prepared in solution, by the liquid phase method or by any combination of solid-phase, liquid phase and solution chemistry, e.g. by first completing the respective peptide portion and then, if desired and appropriate, after removal of any protecting groups being present, by introduction of the residue X by reaction of the respective carbonic or sulfonic acid or a reactive derivative thereof.
Another convenient way of producing a peptidyl molecule according to the present invention (peptide or polypeptide) is to express nucleic acid encoding it, by use of nucleic acid in an expression system, as discussed elsewhere herein. This allows for peptide agents to be delivered to plants Transgenically, by means of encoding nucleic acid. If coipled to an inducible promoter for expression under control of the user, this allows for flexibility in induction of an mlo phenotype and pathogen resistance. This may allow for any side-effects arising from interference with Mlo function to be moderated.
In one general aspect the present invention provides an assay method for a substance able to interact with the relevant region of Mlo, the method including:
(a) bringing into contact a Mlo polypeptide or peptide ragment thereoof, or a variant, derivative or analogue thereof, and a test comoound; and
(b) determining interaction or binding between said polypeptide or peptide and the test compound.
A test compound found to interact with the relevant portion of Mlo may be tested for ability to modulate, e.g. disrupt or interfere with, Mlo function, as discussed already above.
Another general aspect of the present invention provides an assay method for a substance able to induce an mlomurtat phenotype in a-plant, the method including:
(a) bringing into contact a plant or part thereof (e.g. leaf or leaf segment) and a test compound; and
(b) determining Mlo unction and/or pathogen resistance and/or stimulation of a defenae response in the plant.
Susceptibility or resistance to a pathogen may be determined by assessing pathogen growth, e.g. for powdery mildew the presence or absence, or extent, of mycelial growth. minding of a test compound to a polypeptide or peptide may be assessed in addition to ability of the test compound to stimulate a defence response in a plant. Such tests may be run in parallel or one test may be performed on a substance which tests positive in another test.
Of course, the person skilled in the art will design any appropriate control experiets with which to compare results obtained in test assays.
Performance of an assay method according to the present invention may be followed by isolation and/or manufacture and/or use of a compound, substance or molecule which tests positive for ability to modulate Mlo function and/or induce pathogen resistance, such as resistance to powdery mildew.
The precise format of an assay of the invention may be varied by those of skill in the art using routine skill and knowledge. For example, interaction between substances may be studied in vitro by labelling one with a detectable Babel and bringing it into contact with the other which has been, immobilised on a solid support. Suitable detectable labels, especially for peptidyl substances include 35S-methionine which, may be incorporated into recombinantly produced peptides and polypeptides. Recombinantly produced peptides and polypeptides may also be expressed as a fusion protein containing an epitope, which can be labelled with an antibody.
An assay according to the present invention may also take the form of an in vivo assay. The in vivo assay may be performed in a cell line such as a yeast strain or mammalian cell line in which the relevant polypeptides or peptides are expressed from one or more vectors introduced into the cell.
For example, a polypeptide or peptide containing a fragment of Mlo or a peptidyl analogue or variant thereof as disclosed, may be fused to a DNA binding domain such as that of the yeast transcription factor GAL 4. The GAL 4 transcription factor includes two functional domains. These domains are the DNA binding domain (GAL4DRD) and the GAL4 transcriptional activation domain (GAL4TAD). By fusing such a polypeptide or peptide to one of those domains and another polypeptide or pepcide to the respective counterpart, a functional GAL 4 transcription factor is restored only when two polypeptides or peptides of interest interact. Thus, interaction of the polypeptides or peptides may be measured by the use of a repos er gene probably linked to a GAL 4 DNA binding site which is capable of activating transcription of said reporter gesn. This assay format is described by Fields and Song, 1989, Nature 340; 245-246. This type of assay format ean be used in both mammalian cells and in yeast. Other combinations of DNA binding domain and transcriptional activation domain are available in the art and may be prefered, such as the LexA DNA binding domain and the VP60 transcriptional activation domain.
When looking for peptides or other substances which interact with Mlo, the Mlo polypeptide or peptide may be employed as a fusion with (e.g.) the LexA-DNA binding domain, with test polypeptide or peptide (e.g. a random or combinatorial peptide library) as a fusion with (e.g.) VP60. An increase in reporter gene expression (e.g. in the case of xcex2-galactosidase a strengthnning of the blue colour) results from the presence of a peptide which interacts with Mlo, which interaction is required for transcriptional activation of the xcex2-galactosidase gene.
The amount of test substance or comspoid which may be added to an assay of the invention will normally be determined by trial and error depending upon the type of compound used. Typically, from about 0.001 nM to 1 mM or more concentrations of putative inhibitor compound may be used, for example from 0.01 nM to 100 xcexcM, e.g. 0.1 to 50 xcexcM, such as about 10 xcexcM. Greater concentrations may be used when a peptide is the test substance. Even a molecule which has a weak effect may be a useful lead compound for further investigation and development.
Compounds which may be used may be natural or synthetic chemical compounds used in drug screeni. programmes. Extracs of plants which contain several characterised or uncharacterised components may also be used. Antibodies directed to Mlo or a fragment thereof form a further class of putative inhibitor compounds. Candidate inhibitor antibodies may be characterised and their binding regions determined to provide single chain antibodies and fragments thereof which are responsible for disrupting the interaction. Other candidate inhibitor compounds may be based on modelling the 3-dimensional structure of a polypeptide or peptide fragment and using rational drug design to provide potential inhibitor compounds with particular molecular shape, size and charge characteristics. It is worth noting, however, that combinatorial library technology provides an efficient way of testing a potentially vast number of different substances for ability to interact with and/or modulate the activity of a polypeptide. Such libraries and their use are known in the art, for all manner of natural products, small molecules and peptides, among others. The use of peptide libraries may be preferred in certain circumstances.
Following identification of a substance or agent which modulates or affects Mlo function, the substance or agent may be investigated further. Furthermore, It may be manufactured and/or used in preparat on, i.e. manufacture or formulation, of a composition for inducing pathogen resistance in a plant. These may be applied to plants, C. for iniucing pathoge resistance, such as resistance to powedery mildew. A further aspect of the present invention provides a method of inducing pathogen resistance in a plant, the method including applying such a substance to the plant. A peptidyl molecule may be applied to a plant transgerically, by expression from encoding nucleic acid, as noted.
A polypeptide, peptide or other substance able to modulate or interfree witn Mlo function, inducing pathogen resistance in a plant as disclosed herein, or a nucleic acid molecule encoding a peptidyl such molecule, may be provided in a kit, e.g. sealed in a suitable container which protects its contents from the external envi-onment. Such a kit may include instructiaon for use.